JD(U) national secy Bidhuri gets one year jail term in theft case

Janta Dal United national Secretary Virendra Singh Bidhuri has been sentenced to one year jail term in a theft case by a Delhi court, which said he does not deserve to be released on probation as he failed to learn a lesson despite being convicted in other criminal cases.

Additional Sessions Judge Rajender Kumar Shastri ordered that Virendra be taken into custody to serve the jail term, saying “when sweet pills fail to yield desired result, it is better to inject bitter dose, to remove infection from afflicted body”.

Virendra is the brother of Ramesh Bidhuri, recently elected BJP MP from South Delhi. “In modern civilized society, reformation aspect is being given somewhat greater importance, too lenient as well as too harsh sentences both loose their efficaciousness; one does not deter and the other may frustrate, thereby making the offender a hardened criminal.

“In my opinion, when respondent no.2/accused (Virendra) did not learn any lesson despite being convicted at least in two criminal cases. Inspite of improving himself, he kept on committing acts which according to the police were contrary of law and hence same i.e. respondent no.2 was booked for various offences including a case of murder,” the judge said, which also imposed a cost of Rs 50,000 on the convict. The court’s order came on an appeal filed by one Vivek Gupta challenging the magisterial court’s August 2013 decision convicting him in a theft case but was released on probation of good conduct for a period of one year.

The magisterial court had also directed him to furnish a personal bond of Rs 50,000 with one surety in the like amount. It had also asked Virendra to maintain peace and good behaviour. It had further asked him to pay a compensation of Rs three lakh to the government. Gupta contended that the order of the trial court was contrary to law and resulted in miscarriage of justice. “Virendra was involved least in 13 criminal cases.

He is a bad character/history sheeter of Govindpuri police station here. A list of those cases was provided to the trial court but same did not take note of it,” Gupta’s counsel submitted before the sessions court. Virendra denied the allegation that he was involved in other criminal cases and claimed that he has been falsely mplicated by the complainant and his brother Ramesh Bidhuri.

Virendra also claimed that his brother implicated him in the case to get political mileage.

The judge, however, declined his plea saying “Mejudice, such an offender is not entitled for the benefit of benevolent provision of releasing him on probation of good conduct. When sweet pills fail to yield desired result, it is better toinject bitter dose, to remove infection from afflicted body.

“Ruminating all this, in my opinion, releasing Virendra, convict on probation of good conduct was not proper. I allow appeal in hands and consequently set aside the order (of trial court)”.